Mahlodi Kgatle
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Age:
31
Project Name/Description:
Founder – Speakingdom
Mahlodi Kgatle’s story started not with a standing ovation, but with silence. As a young girl, she froze on stage during a poetry competition—overcome with fear and self-doubt. That moment kept her quiet for years, but it also planted the seed for her life’s calling: helping others find the courage to be heard. Born in Tembisa, Mahlodi grew up watching her parents hustle through multiple businesses. She learned early lessons in service and storytelling while helping out at Kalabase Cosmetics and fielding customer calls from her father’s car boot. Two high school teachers saw her potential and encouraged her to return to the stage—this time, she won a national public speaking competition. That win led to Speakingdom, her business that equips young people and professionals with communication skills. From township stages to corporate boardrooms, Mahlodi helps people find their voice. Whether it’s a teenager realising their words matter or a professional finally embracing their accent in a high-stakes meeting, the ripple effect is powerful. Her mission is simple: to restore belief, identity, and confidence through communication. “I want to be remembered as someone who helped others come home to their voice,” she says.
